Toothbrush



l March 2,1943. E Q ADAMSSON y 2,312,828 I TOOTHBRUSH v Filed NOV. 30, 1940 Patented Mar.v 2, '1.943

' UNHTED' STATES PATENT OFFICE. t

y 2,312,828 y v Too'rnR'Usn Emil Adams'son, Chicago, Ill. Applioation November so, 1940, serial No. 367,977

1 Claim.`

This invention pertains to tooth brushes of the common and well known bristle type; and the primary object of'the invention is to provide a .brush that, by virtue of certain novel structural features, will substantially lessen the waste of the dentrice used as compared with ordinary bristle brushes, and without any loss of eiiiciency as a tooth brusher and cleanser.

In using the common bristle brush, whether having a longitudinally concave, flat, or longitudinally convex working face, it is a common experience for the strip of paste, as it is squeezed from the tube and laid on the face of the brush, to roll off one side or the other and fall into the lavatory bowl or onto the floor. Also, when Ysevering the strip on an edge of the brush, an incomplete severance often results in the strip being drawn oi the brush as the tube is withdrawn, and wasted. Somewhat similarly, when powder is used, a part of the powder falls'oi the brush and is wasted.

One feature of the present invention consists in forming in the working face of the brush a longitudinal groove or channel of a size to receive and hold a strip of paste squeezed from the tube, this groove or channel being completely closed at its sides and ends by the outside longitudinal and transverse rows of full length bristles, so that the paste or powder deposited therein cannot fall oif either the sides or ends of the brush.

Another feature of the invention which is complemental to the above mentioned feature, valthough either may be employed apart from the other, consists in providing a low ridge of uniform height on and all around'the edges of the brush head, which, when the brush is in use, prevents much of the paste or powder which works down through the bristles onto the brush head from overowing the sides or ends of the latter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention which in practice has been found to satisfactorily effectuate the stated purpose or object, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the brush, with the bristles shown uppermost.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged cross sections through the brush head and bristles taken on the lines 2-2 and 3-'.3 respectively of Fig. 1, looking in opposite directions.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views similar to Figs. 3 and 4 respectively, showing the use of a rubber strip, in lieu of a row of short bristles, to form the bottom wallof the longitudinal groove or channel.

' handlojand u the hoadof a tooth brush, 1n the head are mounted two' outer side rows of clumps I2 of full height bristles, two end rows of similar clumps I3 of bristles, and a single central longitudinal row of shorter .bristle clumps I4. This creates in the working surface of the brush a lon- .gitudinal groove or channel entirely surrounded at sides and ends by the bristles I2 and I3 that form the side and end walls of the channel. The bottom wall of the channel is formed by the upper ends of the intermediate central row of bristle clumps I4. -This groove is of adequate depth to seat and confine a strip of tooth paste squeezed from a tube, and prevents said strip from falling A either sidewise or endwise off the brush. In applying a strip of paste from a tube onto the working surface of a tooth brush, the latter is usually held by its handle in one hand, while the nozzle of the tube is slowly drawn lengthwise over the working surface of the brush, and a strip is then` severed by a down movement of the nozzle at the free end oi the brush. Where the working surface of the brush is flat throughout, the strip laid on the brush frequently fails of being completely severed, with the result that as the tube is with` drawn the extruded strip follows it and drops to the oor or i-nto the lavatory bowl. With my improved construction the fact that the strip is laid in the groove mainly below the level of the full height bristles at the free end of the brush head, facilitates the severance of the strip by a simple down movement of the nozzle of the tube, so that the strip is not easily drawn off the brush as the tube is withdrawn.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 follows in the main the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; but in lieu of the central longitudinal row of short bristles I4 there is employed a strip of soft flexible material-preferably" a soft rubber strip I5 of the same height, and occupying the same space, as the intermediate row of bristle clumps I4; this strip I5 being embedded in or suitably attached to the head'l I. In lieu of rubber, felt or other soft, exible material may be employed. Ihe upper edge of the strip I5 is preferably madetransversely concave, as indicated at I5', forming a shallow trough which is closed at its ends, as shown in Fig. 6; and, when rubber is used, this trough is a vgreat convenience since it will hold a liquid or cream dentriiice and will without waste. y

which forms the bottom wall of the groove has a height of about two-thirds the height of the full height bristles I2 and I3 surrounding the same.

Manifestly, with the .described construction, the paste, liquid, cream of powder applied to thev brush can escape only through and between the surrounding bristles when the brush is being used, so that these clumps 'of bristles become thorough- 1y impregnated with the dentifrice during the tooth brushingoperation, andl practically all of the dentifrice is applied to its intended purpose.

Another structural feature which is preferably complemental to the above describedfeature consists in the formation on the sides and ends of the head II of a low integral continuous upstanding ridge I6 that entirely surrounds the tooth scouring elements of the brush and Vprevents escape of the dentifrice over the sides and ends of the head. As shown in the sectional views,v the surface II of the head from which the bristles project is transversely flat, and the side members of the ridge I'Ii are spaced equally distant from the bristles. The basin formed by the head and ridge also aids in carrying a large amount of liquid dentifrice,cream dentifrice, or antiseptic liquid to the teeth and gums. y

As before stated, either of the two dentifrice conserving features may be used alone: but preferably they are combined in a single brush, since,

although their structural features are different,

their dentifrice conservation effects are cumulav tive. v

The unique'structure of thebrush also permits the bristles of the brush to fit around the edges of lthe teeth, enhancing the cleaning efficiency as the single rows of bristles are free to wash around and between the teeth.

Variations and modifications in the structural details shown and described may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claim.

' I claim:

.A bristle tooth brush `comprising outer and intermediate longitudinally extending rows of bristle tufts, the tufts of the intermediate row inwardly of the end tufts thereof being shorter thanl the tufts of the adjacent outer rows and shorter than said end tufts, thereby providing in the working face of the brush, a longitudinal groove closed at its sides and ends by surround- Y ing bristle tufts, said groove having a depth less than the depth of said surrounding bristles and being operative to seat and confine, both laterally and endwise, a body of dentifrice deposited therein. Y

` EMIL G. ADAMSSON. 

